Topeka lawyer Wendell Betts waived a preliminary hearing on Monday on a felony charge of stalking his wife earlier in 2013.

Betts had been scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing on the stalking charge, but defense attorney Jason Hoffman said his client was waiving the preliminary.

Betts is to be arraigned in two cases filed in 2013 on Jan. 22 before Shawnee County District Court Judge Steve Ebberts.

Betts has been an assistant public defender in Shawnee County District Court for many years and often has been assigned to represent defendants charged with murder and other serious felonies.

In his first case filed in 2013, Betts was charged with domestic battery and witness intimidation for alleged events that occurred on Jan. 24. Betts was served a summons on March 8. The alleged victim was Pamela Betts, his wife. Wendell Betts wasn't arrested in that case.

In March, Sheriff Herman Jones said Betts should have been arrested when Shawnee County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a domestic violence call.

The sheriff said a "miscommunication" occurred between the deputies sent to the domestic battery call, and they didn't arrest Betts. In the stalking case, Betts was arrested July 23.

On Aug. 6, Betts was charged in that case with:

■ Stalking after he was served a protection order.

■ Violation of a protective order.

■ Possession of marijuana.

■ Possession of drug paraphernalia.

■ Driving under the influence of alcohol.

Betts also was cited for traffic counts of transporting an open container of liquor, improper driving on a laned roadway and making an improper left turn.

All the offenses filed in that case, except the stalking charge, are misdemeanors. In the second case, Betts was released from the Shawnee County Jail after a $50,000 cash or surety bond was posted.

In 2007, Betts was sentenced to two days in jail and fined $500 for two misdemeanor convictions of failing to carry liability insurance for his car.

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This isn't a murder case or high profile enough for something that drastic. The Carr brothers even lost a motion to be tried outside of Sedgewick county. Plea deal coming. Couple misdemeanors. I'm sure victim has already developed amnesia or change of heart. Good to see Betts getting the great publicity. What a clown. He's defended every useless lump of you know what in this city. You know what they say, birds of a feather.